credo petrified for amplified solo cello (2016/rev. 2018/rev. 2020)

credo petrified for amplified solo cello [2016/rev. 2018/rev. 2020]

Kurt Rohde Ripley Dog Face Music ©2020

2

PROGRAM NOTES

credo petrified for amplified solo cello (2016/rev. 2018/rev. 2020) credo petrified is a work for amplified solo cello lasting about 8-9 minutes. This is a revised version of a revision of the original piece. The piece may be played without amplification. It is best to perform the work in a somewhat resonant space.

As a child, my family would venture on annual summer cross-country camping trips. There are five children in my family, and these trip began with us camping tents, moving eventually to a pop-up camper, and eventually to a very small, very cramped, very used Mini-Winnebago. Being a family of "Star Trek" fans (the original series!), we called this camper the USS Mustard Seed...it is a long story.

The Petrified Forest was a favorite location of my mother's, and we visited there repeatedly. Back in the 1980s it was a far more rustic, less traveled, and more austere if not slightly forbidding place than it is now. Petrified Forest was not easy to access, and one had to take long hikes to the locations where large petrified logs remained. Fallen eons before, then covered by an ancient sea and replaced with minerals that perfectly mimicked the rings and bark and striations of their original organic host, this forest of stone trees in the desert was mesmerizing; stuck in our time, in an arid, unforgiving climate were these trees without leaves, fallen groves that will never become green again, that will eventually turn to sand.

Remembering those trips, to that location, with my family, with my mother (long since dead), of trees (that are even longer since dead), makes me consider the unadorned ritual of forgotten deaths, of slow disintigration, of ancient music created for worshipping ("I believe in one...") that is dying its own gradual death at a glacial pace, become sonic dust - a ritual set in motion by man and nature that eventually will have no one to observe or participate in.

3

PERFORMANCE NOTES The score has been formatted to use in both printed & iPad form. Amplification should be appropriate for the performance space. Medium reverb should be used, and the volume should be set to allow the softest playing to be perceived as coming from a differnet location (speakers), with the loudest playing not overwhelming the listeners.

The piece is written without meters. This is to allow for a more flexible approach or interpreation to the rhythmic unfolding of the music. The player should maintian the rhythmic intergirty of the notated rhythms but not be too concerned about the rythms being "square" and excting, except when they feel it necessary.

The piece may be played without amplification.

NV = non vibrato MSP = molto sul ponticello SP = sul ponticello PSP = poco sul ponticello flaut. = flautando; when possible, use a lot of fast, light bow for flautando to create a "flute-like" sound MST= molto sul tasto CLT = play half with hair & half with the wood of the bow ord. = in the ordinary manner with the bow harm. gliss. = harmonic glissando arco = with the bow in the ordinary manner pizz. = pizzicato microtonal accidentals are used in the standard manner I = A string II = D string III = G string IV = C string arrow = indicates the gradual transition from one timbe/technique to another o = indicates either an open string or a hamonic sounding at the written feathered beaming is playe din the traditional manner square noteheads = bow pressure is such that the string is muted and the sound is pressed and "stuck" X notehead = an indeterminate pitch, played with almost regular finger pressure; player should maintain contour and register of music in these passages, trying to play the written note, but without too much concern for accurate pitch content

4

credo petrified for amplified solo cello (2020) * rhythms are meant to be flexible and pliant, and the shape and rate of unfolding for a phrase is indicated by the rhythmic notation, as limited as it is; amplification should be done with a simple mic setup near/at/on the bridge with light reverb added; work may be performed without amplification

Long since forgotten, recently recalled, a processional momentarily held in place h = 42 - 46

G.P.

œo œo œo œo œo

∑ pppp

˙ b˙ w

pp slides should be pronounced - sighing, melting, sinking rolls should be rich - tolling, resonant, rich

nnœœ œ

œœ

œ

œœo

œo

b˙

3

œo

G.P.

œœ œ

œœ

œ

∑

nœ bœ Bb œ œ bœ Œ ˙ 3

sub. pppp pp

p

˙ n˙ w

ord. pizz.

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

? bb-œœ bœœj œœ Bœ bœ b œ œ BB œœ -

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

8

˙

pp

near nut

o #œœ œœ

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

b˙

o o o o #nœœ œœ œ œ w w

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

b˙ n˙ w

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

b˙

∏∏∏∏∏∏

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

Violoncello

? bn˙˙ w

ord. pizz.

near nut

pizz.

-3 b œ b œ ˜œ œ nœ Œ n˙ 3

mp p

p A tempo h = 46 - 50

rit.

arco/I

o o o o o #œœ œœ œ œ œœ w œœ w

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

o o o o o #œœ œœ œ œ œ w w Œ

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

œœ œ Bbœ œ Œ œ > 3

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

œœ œ œ

o o o o #œœ œ œœ œ œœ Œ Œ o

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

-œ œ ? nœœ nœœ œœ ‰ œœ nœ œ

15

#˙

˙

µœ

Œ

3

ppp p

pppp

mp

rit.

p

A tempo h = 42 - 46

accel.

ord. pizz.

like striking a bell, with a rapid decay

> ? ≈ œ™™ œ™™ >

> ≈ bœœ ™™™™ >

≤ >o ™™ ≈ bœœ™™ >

mp

mp

mp

NV 21

o œœ

≥ ™™ bœœ ™™ sub. pp ppp

≤ ^r nœ™™ œœ n œ™™ R v sub.

^r œœ R v

sfz ppp

sfz

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

as if ringing in reverse

> #œ nœ œ™ f

piu f

> n œj n œ #œ œœ ™ ™

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

mf

b œj

5 >o o o o o #œœ œœ œœ œœ #œœ n œœJ Œ Œ > 5

I

II

arco/I

>œ n b œœ

26

> ? bbœœ bœJ

#>œ ™™

#œ

pizz.

n œo

nœ

#œ

¯ nnœœj #œœ™™ J ¯

nœ

≈ 5

ppp

3

sub. pp

mf

arco/IV MSP/harm. gliss.

3

^j œœ

- nœ ™ µµœœ nnœœ ™™ µœ

sfz f

j nœ v

5

U b œo ˙o ™ R

œo n œo œo œo

œ

3 5

mp sfz

molto f

rit.

accel. ord.

Uo ˙

pizz.

˙o

œo

œo

o œ

˙o

o œ

?

3

f

o œ Œ

3

mp

3

¯ #œœ n œ

¯¯ j œ bœ nœœ

arco

∏∏∏∏∏∏

œo

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

30

r #œ nœ

oœ # œI œ 5

f

sub. ppp

p

p mf rit.

accel. arco I

pizz.

A tempo h = 42 - 46

o 5 œ 4 #œœ œJ

? <#> ˙

œ ˜œ ™ #œ

œ œo #œ o o œ ˙ œ œ n œ #œ Œ

œ

˙˙

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

33

bn˙˙

mf sub. ppp

o o5 o o œœ œœ œœ #œœbb>œœ bœJ Œ Œ

>œ n b œœ

U ˜ >œ ™™ ≈

3 5

mp

p f

Slightly pushing forward h = 46 - 50

III harm. gliss.

II III II II II III II 37

? 44 # ˙

œ œ ™ # œR œ œ œ -œ œ # œ #œ ™ mp sub. p

pp

mp 3

nœ ™

œ

n œo

œo O o œo # ˙ nOœ œ œ Oœ

œo o # ˙ œ o œ œ Oœ œ sub. pp

pp 7

mp

5

f

f

sub. pp

III harm. gliss.

#˙

41

? <#> œ # œ

œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 5

#œ œ

œ 3

o >o n œo ™ o5 o o o o o > > > œ #œ nœ œ œ œ œ n œ nœ œ n œ bœ bœ

f 6

6 ord. arco

CLT

o œo œ ?

44

o o œ œ

o o œ œ

o o œ œ

o o œ œ

o o œ œ

3

3

3

3

3

3

piu f

n>œ

>œ

b >œ

#œ >

œ >

bœ >

> #>œ b œ œ

nœ ™

œ

œ J

3

sub. f

piu f

arco 5

n>œ

pizz.

pizz.

™ nœo # œ œo ˜ œ œo œ

3

? œv # œ #œv v

n>œ b œ >

#œ

n œ œ œ œ œ œ >œ # œ^ ™ ≈

œ

#œ #œ

o nœ

5

meno f 5

A tempo II h = 46 - 50

poco rit.

II 50

nœ

? #œ

>œ

pp

arco 47

pizz.

mp

o Ϫ

pizz.

3 #œ #œ #œ #œ œ œ 3

œ J

»^ ™ n œ #œ œ

arco/IV harm. gliss.

o

throw

bow o œo o œo o œo o ¿o o ^¿o , œo. . . œ œ ¿ ¿ ‰ nœ #œ #œ

3

3

3

‰ œ œ

3

#œ

3 3

6

sub. pp

mf sub. f

ff

meno f

sfz ff

pizz.

o o œ^o 54 ? nœ œ

pizz.

>œ

3

sfz

n>œ

>œ b >œ

> > #>œ œ nœ œ > 3

> œ #œ > 5

» ^ #œ J

» ^ ™ ≈ #œ

arco throw bow

arco » œ ≈ œ nœ bœ bœ n œ #œ v > 6

nœ. bœ. bœ. œ 3

f

ff

pizz.

» o o o o o o o o o o o o #œ n œ œ œ œ œ r µ œ. #>œ œ œ #>œ œ >œ œ # œ œ >œ œ >œ œ n œ. v > > 6

57

o o nœ ≈ œ œ #œ #>œ ˜ œ œ ™™ > 3

3

? #œ ™

j µœ #œ nœ ˜œ nœ #œ >

6

6

sffz

7 arco o o œo o n œo o œo o œo o ^o o œo o œo o œo o œ^o œo o œ o » flaut. o o o o œo œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œo ^ o o o > œ n œ œ ™ #œ œ œ œ œ

^ > n œ ™ > # œ ? ≈ œ™ ‰

60

>œ

mp

sfz

sfz

pp

pizz. o œ o œo o œo o œ^o œo o œo o œ œ œ œ 63 œo œo œ œ^ œ œo œo œo œ œ œo œ œo o œ œ ? #œ œ œ œœ œœ sfz sfz

5

œœ œœ

œœ œœ

œœ œœ

^ oœ œo œo o o œo œo o œo n œ œo o » arco œ œ œ œ œ #>œ v p sfz

mf pulsing

o 66 œ œo o o -œ œo -œ œo -œ œo -œ ? œ œ œ f

-

^o o o œ # œ œ œ -œ œ -œ œ -œ œ -œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ o o œo o œo b # œ œ # œ bœ œ œ œ œ #œ #œ œ œ nœ œ œ

f

p

o o œo o œo o IIo o œo o n œ^ œ^ o o œ o 69 œ œo œ œ œ œ O^ œ œ œ ?

f

mp

pp

œo œo II^o œo œo œo œo œo œo œo o œo o O œ œ œo œo œo

f mp

ff

mp

sfz

sfz

f

o r œ # œ # œœ ™ ™ ≈

-o nnœœ -o f

MSP

- > 72 ™™ œOO œOO ™ > > # O œ ? #Oœ ™™ œ œ bnœœ n O O ™ J ™ œnn œOœ ™™™ - > becoming distorted >

ord.

o bœ œ œ œ œo œ bb-œœ œ -œœ œ -œœ œ -œœ œ -œœ b œ œ bœ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

-

o n œ œ nœ œ

sub. p ff

MSP o ord. n>œ o o > > ^ > >œ >œ > > > œ >o > o #œ œ o œ o œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ o œ œ ? œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ > œ nœ œ œ œ œ > œ > nœ sffz molto f > > >

75

8

>œ > # ? #œ œ

78

>

> # œ^ o œ^ o œ^ o # œ^ œ^ o o œ^ œ^ o œ^ o o n œ^ # œ^ œ^ o o o # œ^ ^o o # œ^ o œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ

^ nœ #œ œ œ œ^ œ œv

sub. meno f

ff

sffz sffz

sffz sffz sffz

I I # œ^ œo O # œ^ œo O œo O bœ^ œo n œ^ œo O œo O n>O ? nœ œ

81

sffz

sffz

sffz

sffz sffz sffz

sffz

sffz

O O O O n œ^ o # œ^ œo # œ^ ^o œ œo œ^ O œo # œ œ nœ œ

sffz sffz

sffz

sffz

MSP blurry and dirty #œ O n O O O O O O O œ^ IIO OI O O O O II>O III Obecoming O O O O ?

O O O O O O ≈

83

sffz

<#> œ

˙™

˙

Ϫ

sub. pp

ord.

86

sffz

>œ J f

MSP

molto rit. pizz.

#˙

#˙

˙ ˜œ Bœ Bbœ - -

?

n O nO O O O O bœ bœ ‰ - -

O O

O O

O O

O

3

pp

mf

sub. pp

f

O ‰ 3 b>œ nœ b œ œ- nœ- #œ #œ œ > > mf

A tempo I h = 42 - 46 ord. (pizz.) arco ord.

#˙ ™

90

o

?

nœ ™

#œ œ

nœ ™

MSP

œ nœ bœ #œ ˙

#˙

µœ nœ #œ œ œ #œ

µœ ™‰ O O O O O O O O ≈ œ œ

pp languorous

f mf

pp

9

molto rit. ord.

MSP

pizz.

# œ # œ #œ# œ œ œ ˙ œ

? œ œ œ

w

˙™

µ˙™

O O O OŒ

O O O O O O O O ≈ Œ #œœ œœ œœ O œ œ œ

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏

˙

94

<µ> œ # ˙

PSP arco

I II

5

5

mp

sub. pp

p pp

Piu sostenuto, still flexible, now more than ever h = 36 - 42 ord.

-j bnœœJ ˙˙ -

100 NV

? Ó˙

˙™™ ˙™™

flaut.

II III

SP ord.

wearying echo

Ϊ O O O O O O O O Ϫ

o ˙˙

[CRE - - - - - - DO]

[IN

PSP flaut.

II I

? #˙™ # ˙™ -

IV

poco rfz

o ˙˙ o

O O

O O

p sub. pp

UN - - - - - - - - - - - - - UM]

molto rit.

throbbing, not articulated

o O O O # O , ord. œ™ O O O ‰ nœ™ œ™ O #œJ œ™ ≈ mp o

o nn˙™ ˙™ o

o Œ n˙ œ ˙ o o

ord.

O

poco rfz

III 105

flaut.

III IV

bb˙˙ -

pp

poco rfz

ppp

o œœ™™

>r -j ™ n œ œ œ™™ œ™™ b œR œ ™ nnœœ ˙˙ ™™ J> rfz

bbœ™™ œ™™ f

>r bœ œ R >

j œ œJ

œ œ -

-o ˙˙ -

-o b˙˙ -

Ϫ Ϫ -

b ˙˙

poco f rfz

Molto sostenuto h = 30 - 32

PSP

IV harm. gliss.

MSP/slow, dense bow 110

?U Ó™ w u

U œ

Uo w w ˙ uo obtain 7th partial on

o 3 &bœ

pppp p C-string before proceeding

pp

Uo > ˙

o bœ

f

mp

5

o œ

o œ

o œ

o œ

o œ Œ

Uo ˙

U Œ

˙ uo

œ uo

ad libitum (III/G)

10

piu lento

ord.

III

MSP III

IV

o ˙

Uo b˙

, o œ

o ˙™

o œ

o ˙™

˙ o

˙ uo

œ o

˙™ o

œ o

o ,˙˙ -o

˙™ o

IV

5

o œ

o bœ

115

o & œ

o œ

o œ

wo

-o œœ -o

-o ™ b˙˙ ™ -o

pp

pp

(II/D)

poco f

pp p ad libitum

bow stuck on string

MSP 120 o ˙ & b˙ o

I

II

o œœ o

o n#˙˙ o

II

I

III

o ˙˙ o

o ˙™ ˙™ o

o ˙˙ ™ ™ o

?

-.

Bœœ

-.

66

-.

B b 66

-. b Bb 66

Œ

5:3

pppp pp II

III

II

III

IV

p

A tempo piu sostenuto h = 36 - 42

A tempo molto sostenuto h = 30 - 32 rit.

rit.

pizz.

near the nut

near the nut

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

o œ Œ

o œ Ó

o œ

o œ Ó™

o œ

o œ

U ∑

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

G.P.

o ? nœœ bœ

124

o nœœ bœ

o œ Ó

o œ

o œ w

o œ

o œ

o œ

ppp ppp

bar fingers on open A & D strings at the edge of the nut to allow for the gliss. to emerge

Sostenuto h = 28 - 30 near the nut

o nœœ bœ

o œ Ó™

o œ

U Œ

o n˙˙ b˙

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

?

U ∑

Ó

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

G.P. 127

˙˙ ™™ ˙˙ ™ ™

mf

bb˙˙ Ó open, into the air